The One Wisconsin Town Everyone Should Visit At Least Once
Imagine a place ringed by islands, lined with red cliffs, dotted with ice caves, and alive with hundreds of bird species. While places like Patagonia or the Nordic region might come to mind, all of this beauty can actually be found just off the coast of Bayfield, Wisconsin! This small town sits along the southwestern shores of Lake Superior and is just minutes from the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. It also has an extraordinary calendar of events, keeping folks entertained with lakeside concerts and apple festivals throughout the year. As you begin planning your travels for the coming year, don’t miss out on visiting the memorable town of Bayfield.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Bayfield is the perfect base for exploring the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which lies just a few minutes north of town. Established in 1970, this lakeshore is incredible, encompassing 21 islands and 12 miles of coastline. It's home to the biggest collection of lighthouses in the National Park System, along with numerous sea caves and sandy beaches. 19 of the islands allow camping, while hikers can have plenty of fun along the 50 miles of trails that weave throughout. Keep your eye out for birds during your visit, as 240 different bird species call the area home!
Travelers can opt to explore the lakeshore on their own or book a trip with a local tour company. Apostle Islands Cruises operates seasonally, offering several different excursion types. If you want a tour that hits all the highlights, the Grand Tour is a great choice, lasting two and a half hours and covering 55 miles of lakeshore landmarks. For a more maritime-focused experience, check out the company’s lighthouse tours, a hop-on, hop-off excursion to the various National Park Service lighthouses.
Sea Caves And Ice Caves
Although the Sea Caves are part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, they are so phenomenal that they deserve a section of their own. These caves are the result of centuries of wave sculpting, freezing, and erosion, creating delicate arches, honeycombed passages, and vaulted chambers along several of the lakeshore islands. In the summer, you can sign up for a boat tour of the caves, admiring the vibrant red sandstone formations from the water. Apostle Islands Sea Cave Tours offers tours and kayak rentals.
Very rarely in winter, if conditions are just right, ice caves form along the cliffs of the islands. They are open to the public only if declared accessible by the superintendent, and the last time they were accessible was in 2015. However, if you ever have the chance to experience this phenomenon, you’ll be greeted by dazzling pillars of ice, frozen waterfalls, and needle-like icicles that will remind you of a fairy-tale-like winter wonderland. Only time will tell if the conditions will come together for this experience once again!
Annual Festivals And Events
Bayfield is an exciting place to be, particularly during one of its annual festivals. Between June and August each year, the town hosts Concerts by the Lake, a free live music series that takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Memorial Park. Later on, in September, the love for art returns for the annual Art Escape. Painters, potters, jewelers, sculptors, and other artists congregate in town during this week-long event, showcasing their work and offering demos and art classes that get the entire community involved in the art scene.
The town’s agricultural community, meanwhile, comes to life at the beginning of October during the Bayfield Apple Festival. This event has been going on for over six decades and celebrates the harvest with orchard tours, live music, food, craft vendors, and much more throughout town. The year wraps up with the Bayfield Hometown Holidays. This event series begins in late November and continues through the holiday season, with activities including a tree lighting, late-night shopping, and an appearance by Santa to fill the town with Christmas cheer.
Museums And Galleries
Even if you can’t visit Bayfield during one of its famed festivals, you can still learn about its art and culture at its spectacular museums and galleries. The Bayfield Maritime Museum is an excellent place to begin, a local museum on First Street that receives over 19,000 visitors each year. The maritime history exhibited here dives into everything from the first peoples to traverse its waters to the fishermen, recreational boaters, and innovators who later called the area home. Run entirely by volunteers, the admission is free and is open daily between May 23rd and September 21st.
If you want to find the perfect souvenir before leaving town, the Bayfield Artists' Guild is a wonderful hub for local art. Exhibiting the work of northern Wisconsin artists, a few of the pieces you’ll find here include wood sculptures, cutting boards, soaps, quilts, lotions, ceramics, jewelry, paintings, and photography.
Unbelievable Experiences
Wisconsin sometimes lacks the attention it deserves, and Bayfield is the perfect example of what visitors are missing. The experiences here are unbelievable, ranging from sea cave tours to excursions through one of the most lighthouse-dense areas in the National Park System. Downtown, the activities are just as promising, with arts festivals and museums taking center stage. So start planning your travel dates; you will be amazed by what awaits!
